PREVIEW: VCU hosts Davidson in Atlantic 10 doubleheader Friday

RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — The Atlantic 10 baseball series between Davidson and Virginia Commonwealth shifts to The Diamond on Friday for a scheduled doubleheader, with first pitch set for the afternoon followed by an evening contest.

The Rams (30-22) hold a 2-0 edge in the season series after a 10-0 shutout victory Thursday. VCU has won six of its last seven games overall and sits above .500 in conference play. Davidson (25-24) enters on a two-game losing streak, having dropped a 10-0 decision in the series opener.

Players to watch

VCU right-hander Patrick Steitz has been dominant of late. In Thursday’s win over Davidson, he tossed six innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts and no earned runs. Over his past three outings (Interstat) — all victories (Interstat) — Steitz has allowed one earned run in 17 1/3 innings while fanning 14. He also threw seven innings of five-hit, one-run ball in a win over Saint Louis on May 1.

Davidson reliever Ivan Hoyt has struggled this season. In his last four appearances, Hoyt has allowed eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. However, two of those outings were scoreless, including 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief in Thursday’s game. Hoyt will look to find consistency out of the Wildcats’ bullpen.

Recent form

Davidson has been involved in high-scoring affairs. In a three-game series against Rhode Island last weekend, the Wildcats scored 21 runs in a win but allowed 17 in each of the other two games, including a 17-7 loss on May 9. Davidson’s offense has shown occasional pop but its pitching staff has surrendered double-digit runs in seven of the last 11 contests.

VCU, by contrast, has relied on strong pitching. The Rams held Saint Louis to seven runs over three games and blanked Norfolk State 14-3 on May 5. VCU’s offense has been opportunistic, with Trent Adelman providing a key home run and three RBIs in Thursday’s win.

Simulator projection

According to Interstat’s game simulator, Friday’s matchup is expected to be close, with a projected final score of VCU 7, Davidson 6.

Series outlook

The teams meet again Saturday for the series finale. Both squads are jockeying for position in the Atlantic 10 tournament race. VCU’s balanced roster and Steitz’s recent dominance give the Rams an edge, but Davidson’s lineup (Interstat) — despite its inconsistency (Interstat) — has the potential to break out. The doubleheader will test both bullpens, and the weather forecast calls for mild conditions with temperatures in the mid-70s.